[Rhodes22-list] First hand account of what happened in New Orleans

[Wally Buck]

Herb, Hopefully you realize I am trying to keep this "non-political".

Wally


>From: "Herb Parsons" <hparsons at parsonsys.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] First hand account of what happened in New 
>Orleans
>Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2005 08:03:19 -0500
>
>Again, I see the political "hay-making" out of Katrina.
>
>Your first paragraph was great. Then you start in on using the disaster for 
>politics.
>
>Every high-level political agency has "spin-doctors". Katrina didn't start 
>that, and the spin-doctor's presence has nothing to do with the issues at 
>hand.
>
>Katrina has nothing to do with "big business welfare", "wiping out worker 
>rights", or any of that nonsense. That's the disgusting part of this, 
>people using this tragedy to advance their own political agenda(s).
>
>
>Herb Parsons
>
>S/V O'Jure
>   1976 O'Day 25
>   Lake Grapevine, N TX
>
>S/V Reve de Papa
>   1971 Coronado 35
>   Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana Coast
>
> >>> saroj at pathfind.net 9/10/2005 10:53:45 AM >>>
>Sure isn't... no question... I wasn't trying to make a blue / red
>comparison... just that there is a LOT of work to do to clean up government
>in whatever form the leadership takes... I tend to think that it is the
>civil service bureaucracy (which is most likely party-independent) which is
>the main culprit... I wish we were more in the  mode of  "I'll do what's
>right now (regardless of policy) and ask forgiveness later" rather than "I
>can't act until I check with my {boss, lawyer, mayor} and I'll lie to make
>this work better for ME if I have to."
>
>...and do we really need a spin doctor (Karen Hughes) to "sell" the rest of
>the world on how great we are?  How is this a good use of my tax money?
>
>...and do we really need to wipe out worker rights in order to set the
>hurricane-damaged areas straight?  Another example of big business
>welfare... (or are we thought to be so naive that we believe the 
>contracting
>firms will pass along the savings to government in the form of smaller
>bills?)
>
>as far as bias... it is ubiquitous... we all have a bias if we are human
>beings...
>
>Saroj
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Wally Buck" <tnrhodey at hotmail.com>
>To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 11:13 AM
>Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] First hand account of what happened in New
>Orleans
>
>
> > Saroj,
> >
> > The world and this country are not perfect. Prejudice and ignorance
> > abound. I wonder about any bias the authors of this post (see link 
>below)
> > may have.
> >
> > http://www.socialistworker.org/index.shtml
> >
> > Don't get me wrong, I think there is plenty of blame to go around. I am 
>of
> > the opinion the hurricane would have been handled the same way 
>regardless
> > of party in power. Ignorance crosses party lines. Cronism is not just a
> > Republican thing. The local leaders especially in NO really dropped the
> > ball.
> >
> > A voluntary order for evacuation  on Saturday and a mandatory order on
> > Sunday were way too late. The writing was on the wall and the local
> > leaders should have been thinking ahead. They did not even follow their
> > own disaster plans!
> >
> > Pretty local forecast but it doesn't look like we will have much wind .
> >
> > Wally
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>From: "Saroj Gilbert" <saroj at pathfind.net>
> >>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >>To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] First hand account of what happened in New
> >>Orleans
> >>Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:26:44 -0400
> >>
> >>Here ya go folks... you want to know what happened... without being
> >>tainted by the "anti-government, liberal, commie" (to reference
> >>implications by the "believers" that we live in a great, fair, free,
> >>unprejudiced country), press?
> >>
> >>Read this.
> >>
> >>Unbelievable in America!
> >>
> >>Saroj
> >>
> >>==================================
> >>
> >>HURRICANE KATRINA - OUR EXPERIENCES
> >>By Parmedics Larry Bradsahw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky
> >>emsnetwork.org
> >>September 6, 2005
> >>
> >>http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman/publish/article_18337.shtml
> >>
> >>Note: Bradshaw and Slonsky are paramedics frorm California that were
> >>attending the EMS conference in New Orleans. Larry Bradsahw is the chief
> >>shop steward, Paramedic Chapter, SEIU Local 790; and Lorrie Beth Slonsky
> >>is
> >>steward, Paramedic Chapter, SEIU Local 790.[California]
> >>
> >>...........
> >>
> >>Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the Walgreen's 
>store
> >>at
> >>the corner of Royal and Iberville streets remained locked. The dairy
> >>display
> >>case was clearly visible through the widows. It was now 48 hours without
> >>electricity, running water, plumbing. The milk, yogurt, and cheeses were
> >>beginning to spoil in the 90-degree heat. The owners and managers had
> >>locked
> >>up the food, water, pampers, and prescriptions and fled the City. 
>Outside
> >>Walgreen's windows, residents and tourists grew increasingly thirsty and
> >>hungry.
> >>
> >>The much-promised federal, state and local aid never materialized and 
>the
> >>windows at Walgreen's gave way to the looters. There was an alternative.
> >>The
> >>cops could have broken one small window and distributed the nuts, fruit
> >>juices, and bottle water in an organized and systematic manner. But they
> >>did
> >>not. Instead they spent hours playing cat and mouse, temporarily chasing
> >>away the looters.
> >>
> >>We were finally airlifted out of New Orleans two days ago and arrived 
>home
> >>yesterday (Saturday). We have yet to see any of the TV coverage or look 
>at
> >>a
> >>newspaper. We are willing to guess that there were no video images or
> >>front-page pictures of European or affluent white tourists looting the
> >>Walgreen's in the French Quarter.
> >>
> >>We also suspect the media will have been inundated with "hero" images of
> >>the
> >>National Guard, the troops and the police struggling to help the 
>"victims"
> >>of the Hurricane. What you will not see, but what we witnessed, were the
> >>real heroes and sheroes of the hurricane relief effort: the working 
>class
> >>of
> >>New Orleans. The maintenance workers who used a fork lift to carry the
> >>sick
> >>and disabled. The engineers, who rigged, nurtured and kept the 
>generators
> >>running. The electricians who improvised thick extension cords 
>stretching
> >>over blocks to share the little electricity we had in order to free cars
> >>stuck on rooftop parking lots. Nurses who took over for mechanical
> >>ventilators and spent many hours on end manually forcing air into the
> >>lungs
> >>of unconscious patients to keep them alive. Doormen who rescued folks
> >>stuck
> >>in elevators. Refinery workers who broke into boat yards, "stealing" 
>boats
> >>to rescue their neighbors clinging to their roofs in flood waters.
> >>Mechanics
> >>who helped hot-wire any car that could be found to ferry people out of 
>the
> >>City. And the food service workers who scoured the commercial kitchens
> >>improvising communal meals for hundreds of those stranded.
> >>
> >>Most of these workers had lost their homes, and had not heard from 
>members
> >>of their families, yet they stayed and provided the only infrastructure
> >>for
> >>the 20% of New Orleans that was not under water.
> >>
> >>On Day 2, there were approximately 500 of us left in the hotels in the
> >>French Quarter. We were a mix of foreign tourists, conference attendees
> >>like
> >>ourselves, and locals who had checked into hotels for safety and shelter
> >>from Katrina. Some of us had cell phone contact with family and friends
> >>outside of New Orleans. We were repeatedly told that all sorts of
> >>resources
> >>including the National Guard and scores of buses were pouring in to the
> >>City. The buses and the other resources must have been invisible because
> >>none of us had seen them.
> >>
> >>We decided we had to save ourselves. So we pooled our money and came up
> >>with
> >>$25,000 to have ten buses come and take us out of the City. Those who 
>did
> >>not have the requisite $45.00 for a ticket were subsidized by those who
> >>did
> >>have extra money. We waited for 48 hours for the buses, spending the 
>last
> >>12
> >>hours standing outside, sharing the limited water, food, and clothes we
> >>had.
> >>We created a priority boarding area for the sick, elderly and new born
> >>babies. We waited late into the night for the "imminent" arrival of the
> >>buses. The buses never arrived. We later learned that the minute the
> >>arrived
> >>to the City limits, they were commandeered by the military.
> >>
> >>By day 4 our hotels had run out of fuel and water. Sanitation was
> >>dangerously abysmal. As the desperation and despair increased, street
> >>crime
> >>as well as water levels began to rise. The hotels turned us out and 
>locked
> >>their doors, telling us that the "officials" told us to report to the
> >>convention center to wait for more buses. As we entered the center of 
>the
> >>City, we finally encountered the National Guard. The Guards told us we
> >>would
> >>not be allowed into the Superdome as the City's primary shelter had
> >>descended into a humanitarian and health hellhole. The guards further 
>told
> >>us that the City's only other shelter, the Convention Center, was also
> >>descending into chaos and squalor and that the police were not allowing
> >>anyone else in. Quite naturally, we asked, "If we can't go to the only 2
> >>shelters in the City, what was our alternative?" The guards told us that
> >>that was our problem, and no they did not have extra water to give to 
>us.
> >>This would be the start of our numerous encounters with callous and
> >>hostile
> >>"law enforcement".
> >>
> >>We walked to the police command center at Harrah's on Canal Street and
> >>were
> >>told the same thing, that we were on our own, and no they did not have
> >>water
> >>to give us. We now numbered several hundred. We held a mass meeting to
> >>decide a course of action. We agreed to camp outside the police command
> >>post. We would be plainly visible to the media and would constitute a
> >>highly
> >>visible embarrassment to the City officials. The police told us that we
> >>could not stay. Regardless, we began to settle in and set up camp. In
> >>short
> >>order, the police commander came across the street to address our group.
> >>He
> >>told us he had a solution: we should walk to the Pontchartrain 
>Expressway
> >>and cross the greater New Orleans Bridge where the police had buses 
>lined
> >>up
> >>to take us out of the City. The crowed cheered and began to move. We
> >>called
> >>everyone back and explained to the commander that there had been lots of
> >>misinformation and wrong information and was he sure that there were 
>buses
> >>waiting for us. The commander turned to the crowd and stated 
>emphatically,
> >>"I swear to you that the buses are there."
> >>
> >>We organized ourselves and the 200 of us set off for the bridge with 
>great
> >>excitement and hope. As we marched pasted the convention center, many
> >>locals
> >>saw our determined and optimistic group and asked where we were headed. 
>We
> >>told them about the great news. Families immediately grabbed their few
> >>belongings and quickly our numbers doubled and then doubled again. 
>Babies
> >>in
> >>strollers now joined us, people using crutches, elderly clasping walkers
> >>and
> >>others people in wheelchairs. We marched the 2-3 miles to the freeway 
>and
> >>up
> >>the steep incline to the Bridge. It now began to pour down rain, but it
> >>did
> >>not dampen our enthusiasm.
> >>
> >>As we approached the bridge, armed Gretna sheriffs formed a line across
> >>the
> >>foot of the bridge. Before we were close enough to speak, they began
> >>firing
> >>their weapons over our heads. This sent the crowd fleeing in various
> >>directions. As the crowd scattered and dissipated, a few of us inched
> >>forward and managed to engage some of the sheriffs in conversation. We
> >>told
> >>them of our conversation with the police commander and of the 
>commander's
> >>assurances. The sheriffs informed us there were no buses waiting. The
> >>commander had lied to us to get us to move.
> >>
> >>We questioned why we couldn't cross the bridge anyway, especially as 
>there
> >>was little traffic on the 6-lane highway. They responded that the West
> >>Bank
> >>was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in
> >>their City. These were code words for if you are poor and black, you are
> >>not
> >>crossing the Mississippi River and you were not getting out of New
> >>Orleans.
> >>
> >>Our small group retreated back down Highway 90 to seek shelter from the
> >>rain
> >>under an overpass. We debated our options and in the end decided to 
>build
> >>an
> >>encampment in the middle of the Ponchartrain Expressway on the center
> >>divide, between the O'Keefe and Tchoupitoulas exits. We reasoned we 
>would
> >>be
> >>visible to everyone, we would have some security being on an elevated
> >>freeway and we could wait and watch for the arrival of the yet to be 
>seen
> >>buses.
> >>
> >>All day long, we saw other families, individuals and groups make the 
>same
> >>trip up the incline in an attempt to cross the bridge, only to be turned
> >>away. Some chased away with gunfire, others simply told no, others to be
> >>verbally berated and humiliated. Thousands of New Orleaners were 
>prevented
> >>and prohibited from self-evacuating the City on foot. Meanwhile, the 
>only
> >>two City shelters sank further into squalor and disrepair. The only way
> >>across the bridge was by vehicle. We saw workers stealing trucks, buses,
> >>moving vans, semi-trucks and any car that could be hotwired. All were
> >>packed
> >>with people trying to escape the misery New Orleans had become.
> >>
> >>Our little encampment began to blossom. Someone stole a water delivery
> >>truck
> >>and brought it up to us. Let's hear it for looting! A mile or so down 
>the
> >>freeway, an army truck lost a couple of pallets of C-rations on a tight
> >>turn. We ferried the food back to our camp in shopping carts. Now secure
> >>with the two necessities, food and water; cooperation, community, and
> >>creativity flowered. We organized a clean up and hung garbage bags from
> >>the
> >>rebar poles. We made beds from wood pallets and cardboard. We designated 
>a
> >>storm drain as the bathroom and the kids built an elaborate enclosure 
>for
> >>privacy out of plastic, broken umbrellas, and other scraps. We even
> >>organized a food recycling system where individuals could swap out parts
> >>of
> >>C-rations (applesauce for babies and candies for kids!).
> >>
> >>This was a process we saw repeatedly in the aftermath of Katrina. When
> >>individuals had to fight to find food or water, it meant looking out for
> >>yourself only. You had to do whatever it took to find water for your 
>kids
> >>or
> >>food for your parents. When these basic needs were met, people began to
> >>look
> >>out for each other, working together and constructing a community.
> >>
> >>If the relief organizations had saturated the City with food and water 
>in
> >>the first 2 or 3 days, the desperation, the frustration and the ugliness
> >>would not have set in.
> >>
> >>Flush with the necessities, we offered food and water to passing 
>families
> >>and individuals. Many decided to stay and join us. Our encampment grew 
>to
> >>80
> >>or 90 people.
> >>
> >>>From a woman with a battery powered radio we learned that the media was
> >>talking about us. Up in full view on the freeway, every relief and news
> >>organizations saw us on their way into the City. Officials were being
> >>asked
> >>what they were going to do about all those families living up on the
> >>freeway? The officials responded they were going to take care of us. 
>Some
> >>of
> >>us got a sinking feeling. "Taking care of us" had an ominous tone to it.
> >>
> >>Unfortunately, our sinking feeling (along with the sinking City) was
> >>correct. Just as dusk set in, a Gretna Sheriff showed up, jumped out of
> >>his
> >>patrol vehicle, aimed his gun at our faces, screaming, "Get off the
> >>fucking
> >>freeway". A helicopter arrived and used the wind from its blades to blow
> >>away our flimsy structures. As we retreated, the sheriff loaded up his
> >>truck
> >>with our food and water.
> >>
> >>Once again, at gunpoint, we were forced off the freeway. All the law
> >>enforcement agencies appeared threatened when we congregated or 
>congealed
> >>into groups of 20 or more. In every congregation of "victims" they saw
> >>"mob"
> >>or "riot". We felt safety in numbers. Our "we must stay together" was
> >>impossible because the agencies would force us into small atomized 
>groups.
> >>
> >>In the pandemonium of having our camp raided and destroyed, we scattered
> >>once again. Reduced to a small group of 8 people, in the dark, we sought
> >>refuge in an abandoned school bus, under the freeway on Cilo Street. We
> >>were
> >>hiding from possible criminal elements but equally and definitely, we 
>were
> >>hiding from the police and sheriffs with their martial law, curfew and
> >>shoot-to-kill policies.
> >>
> >>The next days, our group of 8 walked most of the day, made contact with
> >>New
> >>Orleans Fire Department and were eventually airlifted out by an urban
> >>search
> >>and rescue team. We were dropped off near the airport and managed to 
>catch
> >>a
> >>ride with the National Guard. The two young guardsmen apologized for the
> >>limited response of the Louisiana guards. They explained that a large
> >>section of their unit was in Iraq and that meant they were shorthanded 
>and
> >>were unable to complete all the tasks they were assigned.
> >>
> >>We arrived at the airport on the day a massive airlift had begun. The
> >>airport had become another Superdome. We 8 were caught in a press of
> >>humanity as flights were delayed for several hours while George Bush
> >>landed
> >>briefly at the airport for a photo op. After being evacuated on a coast
> >>guard cargo plane, we arrived in San Antonio, Texas.
> >>
> >>There the humiliation and dehumanization of the official relief effort
> >>continued. We were placed on buses and driven to a large field where we
> >>were
> >>forced to sit for hours and hours. Some of the buses did not have
> >>air-conditioners. In the dark, hundreds if us were forced to share two
> >>filthy overflowing porta-potties. Those who managed to make it out with
> >>any
> >>possessions (often a few belongings in tattered plastic bags) we were
> >>subjected to two different dog-sniffing searches.
> >>
> >>Most of us had not eaten all day because our C-rations had been
> >>confiscated
> >>at the airport because the rations set off the metal detectors. Yet, no
> >>food
> >>had been provided to the men, women, children, elderly, disabled as they
> >>sat
> >>for hours waiting to be "medically screened" to make sure we were not
> >>carrying any communicable diseases.
> >>
> >>This official treatment was in sharp contrast to the warm, heart-felt
> >>reception given to us by the ordinary Texans. We saw one airline worker
> >>give
> >>her shoes to someone who was barefoot. Strangers on the street offered 
>us
> >>money and toiletries with words of welcome. Throughout, the official
> >>relief
> >>effort was callous, inept, and racist.
> >>
> >>There was more suffering than need be.
> >>
> >>Lives were lost that did not need to be lost.
> >>
> >>
> >>__________________________________________________
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> >
> >
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